On 1 Februray 1968, the Golden Warriors were established as Attack
Squadron 87, the first to fly the A-7B Corsair II from NAS Cecil
Field, Florida.

The first combat mission flown by the squadron was on 4 March 1969
from the USS Ticonderoga (CVA 14), striking enemy targets in South
Vietnam. In August 1970, VA-87 joined CVW 6 and made twelve
deployments aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV 42), USS America
(CV 66) and USS Independence (CV 62).

In the fall of 1973, the Golden Warriors embarked aboard USS
Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42) to protect U.S. interests during the
Arab-Israeli War. Transitioning to the improved A-7E Corsair II, the
squadron returned in October 1975 to the Middle East following the
assassination of the American Ambassador to Lebanon and assisted in
the evacuation of U.S. citizens. During the Iranian hostage crises
and the Israeli-Syrian disputes of 1981, VA-87 deployed to the
region for 195 days. One year later the Golden Warriors were back in
the fray, supporting U.S. peacekeeping operations in Lebanon for 172
days.

In October 1983, the Golden Warriors participated in Operation
URGENT FURY, protecting American citizens from political strife in
Grenada. During the same deployment, VA-87 participated in strikes
against Syria in ongoing United Nations efforts to stabilize the
Middle East.

The Golden Warriors began a new era on 24 October 1986 when the
venerable Corsair was retired and the squadron was designated Strike
Fighter Squadron 87 with the new McDonnell Douglas FA-18A Hornet,
the first Naval aircraft designed from conception as a strike
fighter.

After a temporary assignment with Carrier Air Wing ONE, the Golden
Warriors embarked aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) while
joining the world's most powerful air wing, Carrier Air Wing EIGHT
(CVW-8), in December 1988. Then, on 28 December 1990, VFA-87
deployed for Operation DESERT STORM, flying 629 sorties over 43 days
of intense combat to liberate Kuwait.

From March to September 1993, the Golden Warriors supported
Operations DENY FLIGHT, PROVIDE COMFORT, and SOUTHERN WATCH (OSW)
with the newer FA-18C Hornet. USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and
VFA-87 returned to the Arabian Gulf in March of 1995 for OSW
followed by combat sorties over Yugoslavia. On 30 August 1995,
Golden Warrior jets were the first to strike Bosnian/Serbian targets
during Opertation DELIBERATE FORCE.

The Golden Warriors then participated in Operation DELIBERATE GUARD
during a summer deployment with USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). They
also returned to the familiar Arabian Gulf for OSW before coming
home in October of 1997 to Cecil Field for the final time in the
squadron's history.

VFA-87 made history again by participating in combat operations in
two different theaters during a single deployment, operating from
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). While enroute to the Arabian Gulf
in April 1999, crisis erupted in the former Yugoslavian republic of
Kosovo, prompting the largest aerial bombing campaign since the
Vietnam War. In just 68 days, "War Party" FA-18s dropped 430,000
pounds of ordnance and flew 595 combat missions during Operation
ALLIED FORCE, contributing to a NATO victory and expelling Serbian
oppressors from the war-torn province of Kosovo. In July, VFA-87
returned to the Arabian Gulf and flew 176 combat missions in support
of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. Following this deployment, the Golden
Warriors returned to their first new home in over thirty years, NAS
Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The Golden Warriors left Oceana in April 2001 for the Mediterranean
aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65), the world's first nuclear aircraft
carrier. VFA-87 left the Arabian Gulf after six weeks of OSW
support, beginning the long transit back to Virginia when the
September 11th terrorist attacks occurred. Following this tragedy
the Golden Warriors again answered the call when the United States
Navy responded with a massive offensive against the Taliban and Al
Qaida forces in Afghanistan marking the birth of a war against
global terrorism in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

While preparing for a Spring 2003 deployment to the Mediterranean,
escalating tensions in the Middle East again brought the "War Party"
to action as a member of the CVW-8 team, embarked in USS Theodore
Roosevelt (CVN 71). Deploying to the eastern Mediterranean five
months ahead of schedule, the Golden Warriors again made history by
contributing to the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq in
Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. In September 2005 the "War Party" deployed
aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in support of Operation IRAQI
FREEDOM for a second time, ensuring a successful constitutional
referendum and Iraq's first free elections. The Golden Warriors were
awarded their first ever Battle Efficiency Award in 2005 and
repeated with 2006 Battle "E" Award.

Strike Fighter Squadron 87 completed an unprecedented and highly
successful transition from the heavily utilized, combat proven
FA-18C back to the other older but less fatigued FA-18A+ Hornet in
late 2006. Throughout 2007 and the beginning of 2008, VFA-87
participated in various detachments and work-up exercises in
preparation for their next deployment. The "War Party" deployed with
the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in support of Operation ENDURING
FREEDOM in September, returning home to NAS Oceana in April 2009.

2010 was a year of significant accomplishments for the "War Party."
VFA-87 participated in three embarked periods in preparation for the
2011 maiden deployment of the USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77),
including a deck certification, Independent Steaming Exercise (ISE),
and Tailored Ship’s Training Assessment (TSTA). VFA-87 deployed
aboard CVN 77 from May to December 2011 in support of Operation
ENDURING FREEDOM, supporting US and coalition forces in Afghanistan.

In 2012, the Golden Warriors accepted ten FA-18C aircraft and began
grooming them for a tenacious work-up period and future deployment.
The ten newly acquired aircraft had not dropped air to surface
ordnance or been to sea in over five years. The end of 2012 brought
the beginning of another work-up period and in 2013, VFA-87
completed six detachments around the country in preparation for
deployment. In February 2014, VFA-87 again embarked aboard CVN 77
and is currently deployed to the Fifth Fleet Area of Responsibility
in support of National Command Authority tasking.